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Official site of the World Squash FederationTue, 31 Mar 2015 09:28:45 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8WSF World Juniors 2015 to movehttp://www.worldsquash.org/ws/news/15895
http://www.worldsquash.org/ws/news/15895#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 12:21:24 +0000http://www.worldsquash.org/ws/?p=15895

During the last few weeks the WSF has been reviewing and evaluating the World Junior Championships in Cairo, reading and listening to the many comments and concerns from our Member National Federations.

Today the Board has come to the conclusion that, due to the perception of some parents about the extreme radicalism in the region – not specific to Egypt and heightened by the tragic killing of tourists in Tunisia – and because of the pressure of those parents on their Federation, it is an inappropriate time for teams of youngsters to travel to Egypt to compete in the World Junior Championships in Cairo from 25 July – 4 August.

So the Championships will be relocated if possible.

The decision to cancel the event in Cairo has been taken with reluctance but, based upon prevailing circumstances, we feel it is the prudent approach.

While appreciating and thanking the Egyptian Squash Federation for all their efforts in preparing for the event, the WSF hopes that the Egyptian Squash Federation understands the need to have the event relocated.

The probable intention of a number of countries not to send their players and teams would have affected the World Championships enormously and would not have been good for squash in general nor for the Egyptian Squash Federation in particular. It is hoped that WSF will be able to return to the country with another Championship in the not too distant future.

At this time WSF is encouraging any prospective hosts, who may be able to maintain the dates and participating nation cost levels, to let us know of their interest in the event.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement, has confirmed the World Squash Federation as one of its Recognised International Federations.

The vision of the IPC is to enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the world – an area in which WSF has paid increasing attention.

WSF President N Ramachandran commented: “I was delighted and grateful to hear that IPC have accorded us this status. Our Para-Squash Commission, under the Directorship of our German Federation’s President Wolfgang Bauriedel (pictured below), is already looking at ways in which we can encourage and enable anybody with an impairment to enjoy squash at all levels.

“This recognition for WSF will spur us on still further,” added Ramachandran.

World Squash Federation President N. Ramachandran has backed the recent announcement by the International Olympic Committee to delay the decision regarding adding new sports to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games programme until next year.

“The World Squash Federation fully supports the decision by Mr John Coates, Chairman of the IOC Co-ordination Committee, to increase the time needed to complete the evaluation of the possible sport/sports that may be included in Tokyo,” said the WSF President.

“We have made it clear in our presentations that, as a potential new candidate for inclusion, Squash is ready – but we also know that if our efforts over the years are eventually successful, the extra time will be nothing!

“It has been my privilege to meet the hosts of what will be an outstanding Games in Tokyo, so time is less important than the knowledge that the flame of hope is still burning for Squash.”

World Squash Federation President N. Ramachandran has had the opportunity to press the case for Squash to be added to the 2020 Olympic Games programme in meetings this week with Mr Tsunekazu Takeda, President Japan Olympic Committee, and Mr. Yoshiro Mori, President Tokyo Games Organising Committee, together with other senior executives for the forthcoming IOC Games.

President Ramachandran emphasised the ease of inclusion in respect of low cost, flexible venue, gender equality, and low additional athlete numbers. In addition to additional general benefits to the hosts and the Olympic Games in general, Ramachandran also highlighted that the sport is supremely athletic and played in 185 countries.

“I was grateful for this opportunity to meet Mr Mori and Mr Takeda (pictured with Ramachandran above), and to highlight how serious WSF is in its efforts for squash to be included in the Olympics as a medal sport,” said Ramachandran from Tokyo. “We had a good reception with positive feedback.

“I was also able to reaffirm that every single top squash player would value competing in the Olympic Games higher than any other event, if we are chosen.

“To reinforce this message, I was able to present Mr Mori with a WSF flag signed by all the top women players competing in the recent Women’s World Team Championship,” added the WSF President.

In a dramatic climax to the Wadi Degla Women’s World Squash Championship, Malaysia’s world number one Nicol David saved four match-balls in the final of the 30th staging of the premier WSAtournament to overcome home favourite Raneem El Welily in a five-game 66-minute display of exhilarating squash at the Wadi Degla club in Cairo - and extend her record to eight titles!

David, the 31-year-old from Penang who won her first world title in Hong Kong in 2005, came into the 2014 event looking for revenge after crashing out of the 2013 championship semi-finals.

Her 2013 victor, Egypt’s three-time world junior champion Nour El Sherbini, failed to make it past the opening round this time – and the English title-holder Laura Massaro dropped out at the quarter-final stage.

But world No.3 El Welily is in the form of her life – and was enjoying all the benefits of home advantage, playing at the Wadi Degla club where she has been based for many years.

Much to the delight of the crowd, El Welily took the opening game – but David came back to draw level before again the local heroine grabbed the third to take a 2/1 lead.

At 6-2 down in the fourth, the Malaysian favourite claimed four points in a row to even matters – but, carried by the crowd, El Welily again reclaimed the advantage to win four points in succession to reach match-ball at 10-6.

Just one point away from a maiden world title, El Welily was unable to convert – hitting the tin three times as David clawed back the deficit to draw level again before eventually taking the game after a tie-break to force a decider.

David was now in the ascendancy and stormed through to take the title 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 14-12, 11-5 after 66 minutes and become world champion for a record eighth time.

“I told myself I wanted to win the last point,” the jubilant Malaysian told the event website www.worldsquashchamps.comlater. “I just kept repeating that: ‘it’s not over until it’s over’.

“Raneem was just playing too well, I just had to find something in me. I just wouldn’t let go, and just kept fighting.

“It was such a pleasure to play in Egypt in front of such an amazing crowd. All this wouldn’t have happened without the involvement of Wadi Degla in receiving the Championships, over such a short period of time, and without the hard work of Karim (Darwish) and Engy (Kheirallah) and all the team.”

David’s long-time coach Liz Irving was equally delighted: “What an amazing performance from @NicolDavid to win her 8th World title,” the former world No2 from Australia told her Twitter followers. “Gutsiest performance I’ve seen in long time!”

The historic title triumph not only extends David’s record world title haul to eight, but also marks the 78th Tour title of the Malaysian superstar’s career.

Top seed Nicol David and No.3 seed Raneem El Welily will contest the final of the Wadi Degla Women’s World Squash Championship in Cairo - Malaysian David celebrating her eighth appearance in the climax of the premier WSA championship since 2005 and one step away from a record eighth title, and local star El Welily marking her debut world final on her home courts at the Wadi Degla club in the Egyptian capital.

World No.3 El Welily dominated the first game and overcame a Waters lead in the second to build up a two-game lead.

The Londoner regained the upper hand in the third, moving from 5-0 to 10-3 up before El Welily reduced the deficit to 10-9, when Waters volleyed a loose return into the nick to clinch the game.

El Welily resumed control from the outset of the fourth and, before long, Wadi Degla had its eagerly-awaited finalist.

“I’m very happy, and the people around me make this happy feel ten times stronger,” said the delighted El Welily after her 11-6, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5 victory in 48 minutes.

“But now, time to stop feeling happy, regroup, and get ready for tomorrow,” added the 25-year-old on the eve of her 21stWSA World Tour final.

World number one Nicol David, who was a shock semi-final casualty in the 2013 championship, has been determined to make amends this year. But the firm favourite was fully tested by career-long rival Omneya Abdel Kawy - the No.10 seed from Cairo who was bidding to make it an all-Egyptian final.

Incredibly, it was the pair’s sixth World Championship meeting – and the 20th of all-time, with former world No.4 Abdel Kawy only once the winner.

The Malaysian took the opening game – but the Egyptian underdog soon had the measure of her illustrious opponent and took the next two games, much to the delight of the partisan crowd.

But David regained control from early in the fourth and never looked like relinquishing it as she took the final two games to deny Abdel Kawy a second appearance in the final since 2010.

“Each worlds is a special one,” said David after her 11-9, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 win in 64 minutes. “But this one, in Egypt, for the Egyptians, is pretty special and they really want to do well in front of their home crowd.

“It was a great match, a tough one. Omneya was carried by the crowd today, it was a great atmosphere, I enjoyed every minute of it!”

The victory takes the 31-year-old from Penang into the 97th WSA Tour final of her career. Success in the final would not only extend David’s record world title haul to eight, but would also mark the 78th Tour title of her career.

The shortest reign in world championship history came to an end in Cairo when fifth seed Alison Waters upset England team-mate Laura Massaro, the No.2 seed, in the quarter-finals of the Wadi Degla Women’s World Squash Championship.

It was only nine months ago – in the 2013 championship staged in Penang, Malaysia, in March this year – that Massaro became the first Englishwoman to win the world title for 15 years. The world No.2 also became the first English player to hold both the women’s British Open and World Championship titles simultaneously.

Just a week after combining to lead England to victory in the Women’s World Team Championship in Canada, Massaro and Waters were back in more usual head-to-head action for a place in the semi-finals of the premier WSA championship at the Wadi Degla club in the Egyptian capital.

Their pre-match career head-to-head tally showed Londoner Waters ahead 7-5 – but Lancashire lass Massaro had the upper hand in their two most recent meetings, both wins in straight games.

Massaro ultimately prevailed in a lengthy opening tie-break game – but it was underdog Waters, ranked three places lower, who gained the upper hand thereafter before closing out the match 12-14, 11-2, 11-7, 11-9 in 52 minutes.

“Playing in Canada gave me a lot of confidence,” Waters explained to the event website www.worldsquashchamps.com later. “I learnt a lot about myself there, after I lost against Joey (Chan). I came back very strong – I realised that I was actually mentally very strong.

“In the fourth it could have gone either way at nine-all,” added the 30-year-old. “I came here to prove myself and I’m pretty proud of what I achieved.”

In her first world semi since 2010, British national champion Waters will face local star Raneem El Welily, the No.3 seed based at the host club.

El Welily also survived a four-game battle, beating Egyptian compatriot Nour El Tayeb, the eighth seed, 11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 11-5 to make the last four for the third time in a row.

“I’m over the moon,” said the world No.3 afterwards. “I tried to stay patient and strong. It was a great match with Nour, a great friend and a sister.”

An all-Egyptian final is on the cards after Omneya Abdel Kawy, the No.10 seed from Cairo, beat seventh-seeded Malaysian Low Wee Wern 12-10, 11-3, 11-4 to reach the semis for the first time since 2010.

Kawy, the 29-year-old former world No.4, will now face career-long rival Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who is bidding to extend her record to eight world titles.

“Oh my God! I’m back in the semis of the worlds – in Egypt!” exclaimed Abdel Kawy after her quarter-final upset. “I got to the final in Sharm, against Nicol, so that’s the rematch – that’s my revenge!”

England’s defending champion Laura Massaro moved one step closer to a third successive appearance in the final of the Wadi Degla Women’s World Squash Championship when she defeated Hong Kong’s top-ranked player Annie Au in the second round of the WSA’s premier championship at the Wadi Degla club in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

But the world No.2 was pushed all the way in the first two games by Au, the ninth seed, before closing out the match 12-10, 12-10, 11-2 in 40 minutes.

“The two tie-breaks showed how tight it was,” conceded the 31-year-old from Preston afterwards. “It’s the fifth time I’ve played her this year – I guess I’m getting to grips with what I’ve got to do!”

The second seed will now line up against fifth-seeded Londoner Alison Waters, the England team-mate with whom she won the world team title last week in Canada.

Waters earned her place in the last eight after an 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 victory over compatriot Sarah-Jane Perry, the 15th seed who was also a member of the triumphant England team

“It’ll be very difficult to play a team-mate tomorrow,” added Massaro. “We just spent a week together – it’s going to feel weird to play her that quickly.

“I saved four match-balls in Penang. I’ll try not to do that again!”

The other quarter-final clash decided on the second day of second round action will be an all-Egyptian affair after Wadi Degla-based Raneem El Welily, the third seed, and eighth seed Nour El Tayeb, also from Cairo, both prevailed.

El Tayeb claimed the day’s first win – and her maiden appearance in the event’s last eight at her sixth attempt – after beating Australian veteran Rachael Grinham 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3.

Grinham, the 37-year-old 11th seed who won the title in 2007, is competing in her 19th world championship after making her debut 20 years ago in 1994. The former world number one from Toowoomba in Queensland led her country in last week’s world team championship in Canada – but also found time to reach Cairo via her home country where she won the Australian national championship!

“It is so hard for me to play Rachael,” said 21-year-old El Tayeb. “She is so unbelievably talented and skilful, but also she is my role model – I love watching her play.”ne from Toowoomba in Queensland led her country in last week’s world team championship in Canada – but also found time to reach Cairo via her home country where she won the Australian national championship!

El Welily, the world No.3 who is leading the home nation’s charge in the event, recovered from a game down to beat India’s top-ranked player Dipika Pallikal, the 14th seed, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6.